Killer of Afghan National Army soldiers arrested

National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel have arrested the killer of five Afghan National Army soldiers in eastern Kunar Province. A statement issued by the NDS states that Zahirullah who goes by the name of Omar Bilal was arrested from the jurisdiction Manogi District in Kunar Province. NDS...

No nuclear deal better than bad deal: Leader

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran would rather not sign any nuclear agreement with the P5+1 than strike a deal that contradicts the interests of the Iranian nation. During an address to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force commanders on Sunday, Ayatollah...

FEFA and TEFA Urge for Non-Political Electoral Reforms

Stressing the need for a non-political reformation in the electoral bodies, the election advocacy groups claim the National Unity Government (NUG) leaders are divided on the reforms to be made in the election system. In a joint press conference on Sunday in Kabul, officials of the Free and Fair...

Ismail Khan Labels New Cabinet 'Communists' and 'Dual Citizens,' Calls for Mujahideen Leadership

Muhammad Ismail Khan, the former Minister of Energy and Water, lashed out against the national unity government on Sunday, questioning the government's ability to serve the interests of Afghanistan and improve security conditions when, as he claims, the majority of its cabinet is comprised of...

Ghani Urges Foreign Leaders Not to Forget Afghanistan As New Threats Emerge

Stressing the need for a non-political reformation in the electoral bodies, the election advocacy groups claim the National Unity Government (NUG) leaders are divided on the reforms to be made in the election system. In a joint press conference on Sunday in Kabul, officials of the Free and Fair...

Pentagon nominee considers changing troops pullout plan from Afghanistan

The US Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter has he would consider changing the current plans for withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if security conditions worsen. Carter has served as deputy US Secretary of Defense from 2011- to 2013 and has been nominated to...

Taliban claims their infiltrator killed 3 US contractors at Kabul airport

The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan claimed responsibility behind an insider attack in kabul airport which left at least three coalition contractors dead. Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah claimed that the assailant was an infiltrator of the Taliban group who was named as Ihsanullah son of...

Parliament Approves 9 of 19 Cabinet Nominees

The Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) approved of only nine out of 19 cabinet nominees on Wednesday, after almost four months of delay. Unlike other Parliament sessions, 243 MPs were present to cast their vote of confidence in favor or against the ministerial nominees and the National Directorate...

Four Cabinet Nominees Present Agenda to Parliament

President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah's cabinet picks have begun presenting their agenda to the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) for a confidence vote sometime next week. The Wednesday's session began with huge criticism by the MPs after they claimed the documents...

Obama Insists Fewer Troops in Afghanistan

Reiterating the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan, United States President Barack Obama during his State of the Union address emphasized on fewer troop presence in the country. "Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over," Obama said. "Six years ago,...

No Regional Progress During Foreigners' Presence in Afghanistan: Zarif

Following the drawdown of international troops in Afghanistan, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif argued there has been no progress in the region during the 13-year presence of the international community in the war-hit country.As President Ashraf Ghani was busy introducing the cabinet...

President Talks Plans for Economic Growth, Other Policy Priorities With Parliament

While introducing cabinet nominees to Parliament on Tuesday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani touched on a number of policy priorities, reserving considerable attention to touting plans for economic development, combating corruption and promoting inclusivity. President Ghani called on incoming security...

Afghan President Raps Charlie Hebdo over Insulting Cartoon

The Afghan president has added his voice to the condemnation of French magazine Charlie Hebdo for printing yet another insulting cartoon of Islam’s holy Prophet Muhammad. Ashraf Ghani on Saturday rapped the blasphemous move as “an insult to the sacred religion of Islam and the Muslim world.” He...

Afghanistan probes regarding minister�s name on Interpol list

The government of Afghanistan has launched an investigation regarding the new cabinet nominee’s list on International POlice (Interpol) list. Nazifullah Salarzai, spokesman for President Mohamamd Ashraf Ghani, has said that the government of Afghanistan is in the process of gathering information...

Finally NUG Announces Cabinet Nominees

The National Unity Government (NUG) led by President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah finally announced the much-awaited list of minister-designates and the nominees for NDS and the Central Bank of Afghanistan. The announcement came on Monday after 105 days of NUG, a long delay which followed...

MoI Backs Raziq to Respond Cross Border Attacks

Raziq said on Sunday that he had ordered his border police forces to respond with force to militant attacks emanating from across the border in Pakistan.Raziq declared that the Afghan border forces had already begun attacking terrorists on the other side of the border. "Our enemies fire on us 100...

Northern Provinces Face Serious Security Threats

Insecurity has widely spread in northern provinces threatening the lives in five provinces which are relatively unrest, said Parliament members from northern areas.Badakhshan, Faryab, Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Jowzjan are said to be the five northern provinces witnessing most of insurgent attacks.Most...

Border Police Return Fire On Militants Across Border in Pakistan

Kandahar Police Chief General Abdul Razeq said on Sunday that he had ordered his border police forces to respond with force to militant attacks emanating form across the border in Pakistan. General Razeq comments came as he visited the border check posts of Shurabak district on Sunday. In a move...

Top Taliban intelligence official among 4 released from Guantanamo

A top intelligence official of the Taliban militants group in Afghanistan was among the 4 inmates released from Guantanamo. The top Taliban leader, Mohammad Zahir, was also a leading weapons supplier who was arrested suspicion of possessing weapons including Stiner missiles and uranium. “Detainee...

Vital Section of Cabinet to be Announced Soon: Mohaqeq

In a meeting with a number of Balkh residents in Kabul, Second Deputy to the CEO of the National Unity Government (NUG) Muhammad Mohaqeq said that the president and chief executive will announce an important portion of the cabinet "today or tomorrow" pertaining to the sectors of economy and security. "The...

Afghan civilian casualties hit record high: UN

The United Nations says civilian casualties in Afghanistan increased by 19 percent this year, reaching a record high. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Saturday that at least 3,188 civilians lost their lives and another 6,429 sustained injuries in the war-torn country by December. "The...

Foreign presence pretext for Afghanistan attacks: Iran

Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations says the presence of tens of thousands of foreign boots on the Afghan soil serves as a pretext for “terrorist groups” to launch more attacks against the country’s infrastructure. Addressing a Friday meeting of the UN Security...

Ghani and Abdullah to introduce 9 key ministers in next 48 hours

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah are expected to introduce nominees for nine key ministries. Sources close to President Ghani and CEO Abdullah have confirmed that four of the nominees would be introduced by President Ghani and four others by CEO Abdullah. According...

Kabul Suicide Attack Kills One, Wounds 3

In a suicide attack in Police District nine of Kabul City one policeman was killed and three others were wounded early Thursday morning, Kabul police said. The incident took place in Tangi Tarakhail area near the Dehsabz district of Kabul City, police said. According to the Kabul Police Chief Abdul...

EU Urges Rapid Reform in Electoral System

The European Union's Election Assessment Team (EU EAT) presented its final report on Afghanistan's recent presidential elections, calling for a "rapid anti-fraud electoral reform." Presenting the report to the press on Monday in Kabul, the EU Chief Observer Thijs Berman said the report included...

There is No Good and Bad in Terror: Ghani

Marking International Human Rights Day in Kabul on Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani said that the region must understand that there "is no such thing as good and bad terror." "We will never surrender to terror," Ghani said. "Peace is crucial for each and every one of us. The acts of violence and terror...

Central Asian Countries Vow Anti-Terror Combat

Expressing deep concerns over the increased influence of insurgent groups in Afghanistan, the central Asian countries have promised a serious fight against the militants including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the region.At the end of two-day Central Asian Cooperation Conference held...

Germany not in favor of swift end to NATO mission in Afghanistan

Ursula von der Leyen, defense minister of Germany who is on a surprise visit in Afghanistan said her country is not in favor of “abrupt end” of the current mission or future withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. She said even though Afghan Security Forces have positive...

17 MoD Personnel Killed in Kabul Attack

At least Seventeen personnel of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) were killed and 14 others were injured in a suicide attack Saturday afternoon in Kabul, officials said. The attack happened near Pul-e-Artal locality of Kabul when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a bus carrying the MoD employees,...

Secretariat Head of Supreme Court Killed in Kabul

The head of secretariat of Supreme Court of Afghanistan was shot dead early Saturday in the capital city of Kabul, local officials said. The incident took place near the 5th district police station of Kabul after armed insurgents opened fire at Atiqullah Raoufi's vehicle when he was in the way office,...